cp33 wrote:
I guess I think Lois should be getting over what happened and her childhood traumas. Clark has proven he isn't going to leave her, her continuing "issues" are hard to believe after 5 years of marriage,even a platonic one.
This is why I keep hammering on the "professional therapist" angle. Post-traumatic stress disorder will
not go away by itself. It must be treated in order for a sufferer to experience a full recovery. Soldiers in combat in World War II suffered PTSD in silence for decades, and many of the survivors are still affected by it, even six decades after the fighting ended. Lois's progress is remarkable, but it's more her learning to mask her symptoms than it is her coming to grips with her affliction. Until she admits that she needs professional help - and she gets it - she's not going to be truly recovered.
Maybe that could be a side tale. You wouldn't have to shoehorn Lois's sessions into this story. You could put them in a shorter tale of their own. That way it wouldn't interfere with the current narrative, and it would be make Lois's recovery more convincing and more true-to-life. Their opportunity to travel and meet new people and visit exotic new locations may look like it's helping Lois, but it's really just covering over the real issues.
Other than that, I still maintain that I like this story, even though it's not one I could have written. I'm glad Clark is showing as much patience as he is. And I'm glad that Lois realizes that there are still steps remaining for her to take before she's all the way back. I'm anticipating the night (or the day) when Lois wears either the nightie or one of Clark's dress shirts. I just hope you don't show too much and lose the PG-13 rating.
